Though it is often unnecessary to use the Template:Codeline field when building CVS/SVN/GIT packages (any changes to the package will often be on another day and so are usually accounted for by a change in Template:Codeline [assuming Template:Codeline is used to hold a date format], makepkg will require it.

To preserve the integrity of the checked-out code, consider copying the original build directory if you have to make edits. e.g. having checked out source code to Template:Filename from Template:Filename you can use:

mkdir src/$_cvsmod-build
cd src/$_cvsmod-build
../$_cvsmod/configure

or:

cp -r src/$_cvsmod src/$_cvsmod-build
cd src/$_cvsmod-build

With the introduction of the AUR, it is most important to avoid using backtick execution to create package variables. makepkg will automatically bump the Template:Codeline anyway when building the package (unless Template:Codeline is used).